Catchacoma Scorcher:The Black Bear Rally's Dusty Gauntlet

August 15, 2025

Catchacoma Scorcher:The Black Bear Rally's Dusty Gauntlet

The Black Bear Rally roared into life on August 9, 2025, transforming the quiet roads of Catchacoma, Ontario, into a battleground of speed and skill. With rally HQ buzzing at the Catchacoma community center, MLRC (Maple Leaf Rally Club) kicked off the event with a sense of high-octane anticipation that was palpable even in the sweltering heat. Temperatures soared into the low 30s, and with no rain in sight, everyone knew this was going to be a long and arduous day. Staying hydrated was a top priority for everyone, from the crews to the dedicated volunteers, lest they fall victim to heatstroke.

Car 321: Trevor Pougnet / Ryan Rouleau

Originally, 23 teams were slated to compete, but a series of untimely problems—from mechanical woes to the Peter Miller's complete loss of a vehicle in a fire—whittled the field down to a formidable 17. The remaining teams were a mix of seasoned veterans and hungry newcomers, all ready to attack the stages.

2025 Black Bear Rally Teams

Car 321: Trevor Pougnet / Ryan Rouleau
Car 45:    Dubé / Desmarais
Car 714: Drake / Lantz
Car 27:    Bourassa / Séguin
Car 18:    Royer / Voyzelle-Montminy
Car 102: Gielas / Gielas
Car 81:    Donnelly / Pace
Car 860: Toufanov / Bell
Car 705: Galipeau / Turk
Car 787: Vanderwal / Hooper
Car 369: Jones / Papanicolaou
Car 144: Lantz / Hooper
Car 198:    Drake / Jackson
Car 70: Kovacs / Nitz
Car 575:    Bauman / von-Kannen
Car 660:    Zammit / Lourenco

Car 997: Dimkovski / Lazarov

The rally officially began after the infamous Car 0 of Denaka and Gamble gave the all-clear, a decision approved by Clerk of Course Dave Cotie.

The initial stages saw incredible pace and excitement. While an ungodly amount of dust was kicked up, a welcome breeze helped to clear the air. However, the wind was intermittent, and at times, the dust would linger, forcing drivers to lift and coast—a tactic that proved to be a key to survival. As the saying goes, "to finish first, first you have to finish."

Car 102: Gielas & Gielas battle the dust on stage A2

Dust was not clearing during stage A4

And finishing was not a given. Two teams were forced to retire after leaving the road. Car 997 rolled off the stage in A3, ending up upside down deep in the trees. Thankfully, the crew was okay. Meanwhile, the fantastic pace of Bauman and von-Kannen in their 2WD Lancer came to a crashing end in B3 after striking a tree. Their safety gear did its job, and both walked away, but their car was too damaged to continue.

They've already vowed to return stronger than ever!

😎

Photo credit: Team photo Car 575: Bauman / von-Kannen

As the day wore on, the rest of the field attacked the stages with relentless determination. The rally maintained its schedule, and all stages were completed. At the end of it all, it was the incredible performance of Trevor Pougnet and Ryan Rouleau in Car 321 that secured them the overall victory!

1st Place:    Pougnet / Rouleau (4wP)                           Total Time: 0:48:49.3
2nd Place:    Dubé / Desmarais (4wO)                          Total Time: 0:49:31.8
3rd Place:   Drake / Lantz (4wO)                                  Total Time: 0:50:06.3
4th Place:   Bourassa / Séguin (4wO)                            Total Time: 0:50:27.6
5th Place:   Royer / Voyzelle-Montminy (2wO)               Total Time: 0:51:18.6
6th Place:   Gielas / Gielas (4wP)                                   Total Time: 0:52:37.5
7th Place:   Donnelly / Pace (4wO)                                 Total Time: 0:53:18.1
8th Place:   Toufanov / Bell (2wO)                                   Total Time: 0:53:52.6

9th Place: Kovacs / Nitz (2wO) Total Time: 0:54:00.6

10th Place: Galipeau / Turk (2wP) Total Time: 0:54:33.7

11th Place:  Vanderwal / Hooper (2wP)                          Total Time: 0:55:14.2
12th Place: Jones / Papanicolaou (2wP)                         Total Time: 0:56:03.1
13th Place: Lantz / Hooper (2wP)                                  Total Time: 1:03:01.3
14th Place: Drake / Jackson (4wO)                                 Total Time: 1:10:59.9

The following three teams did not finish (DNF):

DNF: Bauman / von-Kannen (2wO) - off road
DNF: Zammit / Lourenco (2wP) - Engine

DNF: Dimkovski / Lazarov (4wP) - Rolled

Full details - click here: https://www.mlrc.ca/blackbear/results/2025-results.html

As the dust settled, everyone returned to rally HQ for the awards ceremony and a much-needed dinner. It was a perfect end to a thrilling day, with the rally community celebrating victories, licking wounds, and sharing stories. Everyone went home hot, tired, and full of memories from an amazing day of rally action.

With a collection of thrilling stories and official results, lets have a good look at the heart of the competition.

What's a rally article without photos of the teams that made it all happen?

Car 321: Trevor Pougnet / Ryan Rouleau